Tray set



March 3, 1970 5, DIRKX 3,498,471

TRAY SET Filed Nov. 6. 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 FIG -1 //V VE/V TOR CHIELBERTUS JOHANNES SIMON DIRKX Wm Maw A TTORNE Y8 March 3, 1970 c. J. s. DIRKX 3,

' TRAY SET Filed Nov. 6, 1967 2 Sheets-Shea; 2

FIG-5 6' i :r5' 21 r e llh United States Patent O 3,498,471 TRAY SET 'Chielbertus Johannes Simon Dirkx, Floralaan Oost 114, Eindhoven, Netherlands Filed Nov. 6, 1967, Ser. No. 680,747 Claims priority, application Ggrmany, Nov. 7, 1966,

Int. Cl. A47f3/14,3/05

US. Cl. 211-131 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the art of stacked rotatable tray sets, it is desirable to provide for convenient removal and replacement of selected trays and also for rotation of each tray adjacent its edge portion to provide convenient access to each tray as well as convenient cleaning of each tray. The present invention is directed to an improved tray set which provides these features and, in addition, has a durable and economical construction. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a tray set incorporates a stack of trays each having an integral support member which projects outwardly from the border portion of the tray. The support members of adjacent trays have hollow cylindrical interfitting portions which provide for relative rotation and for convenient removal of each tray, and the projecting support member of the upper or cover tray also interfits with the projecting support member of the bottom tray to form a nonrotata'ble stabilized base for the trays thereabove.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an expanded tray set constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the bottom tray;

FIG. 3 is a section taken generally along the line III- III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an intermediate tray;

FIG. 5 is a section taken generally along the line VV of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the upper or cover tray;

FIG. 7 is a section taken generally along the line VII- VII of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a vertical section taken through the trays arranged in stacked aligned relation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, the tray set shown in FIGS. 1 and 8 includes a bottom tray 1, a pair of middle or intermediate trays 2 and 3, and a cover tray 4. The bottom tray 1 (FIGS. 2 and 3) has an integrally connected hollow support member 5 which is generally cylindrical and projects outwardly from the border portion or flange 7 of the tray. The support member 5 has an upwardly projecting cylindrical portion 6 of uniform thin wall thickness. l

Each intermediate tray 2 and 3 (FIGS. 4 and 5) also has an integrally connected hollow support member 5' which projects outwardly from the corresponding border 3,498,471 Patented Mar. 3, 1970 "ice flange 7 and has a substantially uniform wall thickness. Each support member 5' includes a lower portion defining an internal cylindrical cavity 8 and an upwardly projecting cylindrical portion 6' having an outer surface 9 with a diameter slightly less than the inner diameter of the cavity 8.

The cover tray 4 (FIGS. 6 and 7) has an integral sup port member 5" which projects outwardly from the border flange 7 and includes a pair of thin wall hollow ear :portions '6" defining a part cylindrical cavity 8' having a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the cavity 8 on each of the intermediate trays 2 and 3. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, ribs 10 are formed on the inner surface of the border flange 7 of the cover tray 4 and have projecting tips which are adapted to be received Within the corresponding areas 11 (FIG. 4) adjacent the inner surface of the border flange 7 of the adjacent intermediate tray 3. The ribs 10 provide a detent type connection between the cover tray 4 and the adjacent tray to retain the cover tray in alignment when the trays are moved to a vertically aligned relation as shown in FIG. 8.

As also shown in FIG. 8, when the trays are arranged in aligned stacked relation, the projecting cylindrical portion 6 of the bottom tray 1 is received within the cylindrical cavity 8 of the intermediate tray 2. Similarly, the cylindrical portion 6' of the intermediate tray 2 is received within the cylindrical cavity 8 of the intermediate tray 3, and the cylindrical portion 6' of the tray 3 is received within the cylindrical cavity 8' of the inverted cover tray 4.

To arrange the trays in an angular relation as shown in FIG. 1, the trays are separated, and the cover tray 4 is inverted and connected to the bottom tray 1 as illustrated in FIG. 2 with the cylindrical support member 5 of the bottom tray 1 received within the cylindrical cavity 8' of the cover tray 4 and with the projecting ear portions 6" of the cover tray 4 abutting flange 7 of the bottom tray 1. This forms a positive nonrotatable connection between trays 1 and 4. The intermediate tray 2 is then remounted on the cylindrical support portion 6 of the bottom tray 1, and the intermediate tray 3 is remounted on the cylindrical portion 6 of intermediate tray 2 so that intermediate trays 2 and 3 can be rotated relative to each other and to the trays 1 and 4 to provide full access to each tray.

One of the important advantages of a tray set constructed in accordance with the invention is that the support member of each tray interfits with the support member of an adjacent tray to provide for relative rotation as well as a positive cantilevered support for each intermediate tray. Another advantage is that each tray can be conveniently molded from a plastic material with the support member former integrally with the tray. Also for convenient molding purposes, the support member of each tray has a thin uniform wall thickness substantially the same as that of the tray.

It also becomes apparent that the interfitting connection between the support members of adjacent trays enables any selected tray to be conveniently removed simply by lifting the trays above the selected tray. Furthermore, the interfitting connection enables the use of any desired number of intermediate trays.

Another important feature of the tray set of the invention is provided by the support member 5 of the cover tray 4. That is, by providing this tray with the spaced projecting ear portions 6". which define the cylindrical ,surface 8', the cover tray 4 can be inverted and used as a cover as illustrated in FIG. 8 or be connected with the bottom tray 1 as illustrated in FIG. 1 to form a stable base for the intermediate trays 2 and 3.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tray set comprising a bottom tray member, a cover tray member and at least one intermediate tray member in stacked relation, each tray member having a border portion, a support member projecting outwardly from said border portion of each said tray member, said support members of said bottom and cover tray members including removable interfitting portions being effective to produce a substantially rigid nonrotata'ble connection between said bottom and cover tray members so that said cover tray member cooperates with said bottom tray member to form a stable base for said intermediate tray member.

2. A tray set as defined in claim 1 wherein said support members of adjacent said tray members include removable interfitting portions providing for relative rotation between said adjacent tray members.

3. A tray set as defined in claim 1 wherein said support members of said bottom and cover tray members include a first support member having a generally cylindrical portion and a second support member including spaced ear portions defining a part cylindrical cavity having a diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion of said first support member.

4. A tray set comprising a series of tray members arranged in stacked relation and each having a border portion, a support member projecting outwardly from said border portion of each said tray member, said support members of adjacent tray members including removable interfitting portions providing for relative rotation between said adjacent tray members, said support member of at least one of said tray members comprising a hollow generally cylindrical projection having a first portion and a second portion, the inner diameter of said first portion being substantially equal to the outer diameter of said second portion, and said support member of another said tray member including spaced ear portions defining a part cylindrical cavity having a diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of said second portion of the first said tray member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 160,688 10/1950 Brock 211129 X 2,524,877 10/1950 Bergman 211-131 3,178,034 4/1965 Cohn 211-131 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,330,916 5/1963 France.

NILE C. BYERS, JR., Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

